Newcastle-based PK education is urging people to recognise the increasingly important role supply teachers play, by voting in the North East Supply Teacher of the Year Awards.
The Newcastle-based supply teacher agency has shortlisted three supply teachers, nominated by schools and recruitment consultants, for the prestigious annual award and it is now down to the public to vote for the outright winner.
Voting is open now and closes at midnight on Wednesday 8 June. Voting is via an app on the PK education Facebook page atwww.facebook.com/pkeducation1.
The winner will be announced on Thursday 16 June during National Supply Teacher Week (13 – 17 June 2016), which supports and celebrates the work of supply teachers.
The three teachers from PK education’s North East office, which is based on Collingwood Street in Newcastle, who are shortlisted for award, are:
Gillian Belcher, from Rowlands Gill – Gillian is flexible, reliable, willing travel to any school required and is an asset to the supply team.
Aimee Palmer, from Washington – Aimee has proved consistently good with zero absence and is now being considered for a permanent role by the school she has taught in.
Amy Walton, from Newcastle – Amy is a very versatile and well-liked supply teacher who is in demand by a range of schools, including, primary as well secondary and private schools.
The awards are held across PK education’s five offices, with a total of 15 supply teachers battling it out for the titles of North East, Yorkshire, North West, East Midlands and West Midlands Supply Teacher of the Year.
Discussing the awards Lee Carpenter, Director of PK education, said: “Now back for the second year, we love these awards as it gives us the perfect opportunity to recognise the hard work of our supply teachers across the country. They have an incredibly hard job and often carry out their work in difficult circumstances.
“The awards were a huge success last year and it was brilliant to see everyone appreciate the work that these teachers do on a day-to-day basis. They simply don’t get enough recognition so this is our way of doing something about it and highlighting the very valuable role they play in schools each day.
Recent figures* revealed that primary and secondary schools in England spent £821m on supply staff last year, The North East had the sixth highest spend in England on supply teachers in schools, with a spend of £153.99 per child. Although there has been an overall decrease on the figure spent on supply teachers in England by £18m on the previous year, it highlights the fact that the teaching profession is in the grip of a “serious teacher recruitment and retention crisis,” according to Chris Keates, the general secretary of the union NASUWT.
To see the full shortlist across PK education’s five offices visit www.pkeducation.co.uk.